Means and method for assisting the birth of a child



Dec. 15, 1959 A. D. KENYON MEANS AND METHOD FOR ASSISTING THE BIRTH OF ACHILD Filed Nov. 28, 1958 IN VENTOR. flew/0r? 0. flwm/v M ATTORNEYUnited States Patent MEANS AND METHOD FOR ASSISTING THE BIRTH OF A CHILDArthur D. Kenyon, Lakewood, Colo.

Application November 28, 1958, Serial No. 776,955

Claims. (Cl. 128--361) This invention relates to a method and means forassisting the birth of a childf In the usual normal birth the fetus isexpelled by muscular contraction of the uterus. This is always anexceedingly difficult procedure and upon occasions, the muscular effortsare not sulficient to accomplish the normal birth and assistance must begiven by the attending physician by pressure upon the abdomen and, inextreme cases, by the use of instruments. External abdominal pressuresmay result in trauma and injury to the mother and the baby and, ofcourse, there is always the possibility of injury from the use offorceps and the like.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a method and meansfor carrying out the method whereby atmospheric pressure will be appliedto the fetus within the body of the mother in such a way as to assist inthe expulsion of the fetus and to provide means for regulating theatmospheric pressure upon the fetus to the requirements of eachparticular occasion so as to reduce the muscular labors required innormal cases and to supplement the muscular labors in difficult cases sothat in normal cases, the degree of discomfort will be greatly reducedand in abnormal cases the necessity for external physical pressure andnecessity for instruments will be greatly reduced.

Within the body of the mother the fetus is subjected to uniformatmospheric pressure in all directions. Briefly, this inventioncontemplates reducing this atmospheric pressure on that portion of thefetus directed toward the os uteri so that there will be a differentialof atmospheric pressure acting against the fetus in the direction of the0s uteri so as to tend to force the fetus into the vagina by airpressure for normal birth. The differential will, of course, depend uponthe degree of air pressure reduction in the vagina and externally of thevagina. If means are provided for regulating the reduction of pressureon the os uteri side of the fetus, the atmosphere will exert a gentle,uniform and continuing pressure upon the opposite side.

One means for accomplishing the above is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing which is a perspective view of a device for accomplishing anatmospherically assisted birth.

The device illustrated comprises a fetus receiving chamber preferablybut not necessarily formed of clear, transparent plastic in a sphericalshape.

One side of the chamber is flared outwardly to form a relatively largecircular neck 11 which forms the periphery of a fetus entrance passage12. An annular collar 13 surrounds and is hermetically sealed to theneck 11. The collar 13 is preferably formed of neoprene or rubber orother resilient material and is provided with a flexible flaring skirt14- of similar material.

Two flexible air tight arm sleeves 15 are sealed to and about openingsin the chamber 10 at each side of and adjacent the top of the chamber.The arm sleeves are formed from impervious, flexible material such asplastic or rubber-impregnated tubing and each sleeve terminates in aflexible, adjustable arm strap 16.

An oxygen nipple 17 and an air nipple 18 are sealed to and open throughthe wall of the chamber 10. The oxygen nipple leads to an oxygen controlvalve 19 to which oxygen is supplied from a suitable source through asuitable oxygen hose 20. The air nipple 18 leads to a two-way air valve21 which can be used to place the air nipple 18 in communication witheither an atmospheric port 22 or a vacuum hose 23 leading to anysuitable vacuum source.

While the valves 19 and 21 have been illustrated as mounted directlyupon the chamber 10, they could, of course, be mounted at any desiredpoints along the hoses 20 and 23, respectively. An electric lamp dome 24is mounted on the chamber 10 and provided with a suitable electric lamp25 which illuminates the interior of the chamber 10. Current is suppliedto the lamp 25 in any desired manner, such as, by means of a flexiblelamp cord 26.

Let us assume that the hose 20 is connected with an oxygen source, thehose 23 is connected with a vacuum pump, and the cord is connected witha source of electric current, and that the device has been suitablysterilized and is to be put to use. The attending physician inserts hissteril hands through the two sleeves 15 and his assistant adjusts thestraps 16 tightly about the physicians arms.

The device is now moved into position over the vagina of the mother andthe sealing skirt 14 is pressed into airsealing contact with the bodysurfaces about the vagina. The air valve 21 is now adjusted to partiallyevacuate the interior of the chamber 10 and the oxygen valve 19 isadjusted to slowly supply oxygen to the interior.

The regulation is such that a sub-atmospheric pressure is maintained inthe chamber and in the vagina to apply a pressure differential to thefetus tending to urge it into the chamber 10. The emerging fetus can bemanipulated as required by the hands of the physician. When the fetus isfully discharged, the air valve 21 is immediately adjusted to disconnectthe chamber from the vacuum source and open it to the atmosphere throughthe atmospheric port 22. This immediately returns the internal pressureof the chamber to that of the atmosphere so that it, with the containedfetus, can be readily lifted from place for delivery of the baby to theattending nurse.

It is desired to call attention to the fact. that the entire Zone ofoperation is fully illuminated by the lamp 25 and is in the full view ofthe physician through the trans parent walis of the chamber. it willalso be noted that the hands of the physician are completely free foruse within the chamber. Experience will teach the proper degrees ofvacuum and oxygen required for each type of birth.

While a specific form of device has been illustrated and describedherein and a typical example of use has been given, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not iimited to the specific deviceshown, nor the specific procedure described except insofar as suchlimitations are contained within the appended claims in which it is myintent to claim all novelty which is inherent to my invention.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed and desired securedby Letters Patent is:

1. Means for assisting in the birth of a child comprising a chamber ofsufficient size to receive the fetus; a fetus receiving neckcommunicating with said chamber; sealing means surrounding the externalextremity of said neck and adapted to seal the latter to the bodysurfaces of the mother about the external os of the vagina; and meansfor withdrawing air from said chamber.

2. Means for assisting in the birth of a child as described in claim 1having arm openings in said chamber for the insertion of the hands of aphysician and means for hermetically sealing the arms of the physicianto said chamber about said openings.

3. Means for assisting in the birth of a child as described in claim 2in which the means for sealing the arms of the physician to the chambercomprises a flexible sleeve secured to said chamber about each openingand extending outwardly therefrom and means for tying the 10 extremitiesof said sleeves about the arms of the physician.

4. Means for assisting in the birth of a child as described in claim 3having means for introducing oxygen into said chamber when desired.

5. Means for assisting in the birth of a child as described in claim 4having means on the exterior of said chamber for illuminating theinterior thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 127,700Sweden Mar. 21, 1950

